Like the idea of express lanes on Ga. 400? What about the idea of paying for those lanes? Local residents will get a chance to tell the Georgia Department of Transportation what they really think about its current feasibility study, which is looking into the possibility of tolled travel improvements along Ga. 400.

According to the DOT, the Ga. 400 Express Lanes Feasibility Study is looking at options to improve mobility along the 24-mile Ga. 400 corridor between the I-285 interchange in Fulton County and Buford Highway (State Route 20) in Forsyth County - one of the most heavily travel roads in all of the metro area.

Included within the study is the possibility of adding express lanes and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, something the department has considered since 2005. However, since that time, two new policies have been implemented that would require any new mobility improvement lanes within Georgia to be tolled. (See attached PDF for more information on those policies)

If given the go-ahead by the feasibility study, the DOT's next step would be to commission a more detailed analysis of travel lane alternatives, in hopes it will help determine if Ga. 400 should have express lanes installed similar to the I-85 Hot Lanes, which have been met with less than great enthusiasm.

Meetings to inform and gauge interest from the public on the potential lanes are scheduled in Roswell, Cumming and Sandy Springs over the next week.

Attendees will hear an overview of the potential Ga. 400 express lanes project from the DOT and then be allowed to visit specific stations around the room for more information and to provide input. Those residents who cannot attend a meeting in person are still able to provide feed back through the DOT's Georgia's Express Lanes System survey.